platform for number crunching

[Nadav Har'El]

On Wed, Jun 16, 2010, Shimon Panfil wrote about "platform for number crunching":
> 
> Hi folks,
> I'm looking for affordable workstation for heavy number crunching, not  
> x86-64 multicore.

It is possible that x86-64 is not the "ultimate" platform for number-
crunching, but it's certainly not bad. The two best thing it has going for it
are the low cost because of the volumes sold, and the familiar programming
APIs (you don't need to learn bizarre new programming paradigms like you
would on GPGPUs, for example).

But, I don't see why say that:

> It seems that multicore systems have problems with  
> cooling (physically it is pretty clear). My current amd-64 4-core  
> machine works fine only if less than 2 cores have 100% load. Rougly  
> 2*100 work 20 min before temperature becomes high, 4*100 can last  
> couple of minuts only. Last year I have already burned  processor and  
> do not want repeat the experience.

Sounds like something is very wrong in your system. Having a machine working
at full steam (be it number-crunching, integer-crunching, or compiling a
kernel) for more than a couple of minutes is a normal occurance. I am using
an 8-core Intel machine and often use all of them together (e.g., to compile
Linux kernels 8 times faster), and it never burned...

> I'll be glad to know my options other than open the box and add fans  
> or set air conditioner in my working place to very low temperature.

Sounds like this is exactly what you need to consider...
No matter what CPUs you end up using, they will produce heat, and you
will need to take care of it.


-- 
Nadav Har'El                        |    Wednesday, Jun 16 2010, 4 Tammuz 5770
nyh at math.technion.ac.il             |-----------------------------------------
Phone +972-523-790466, ICQ 13349191 |The meek shall inherit the Earth, for
http://nadav.harel.org.il           |they are too timid to refuse it.